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Chainsaws

12K views 100 replies 31 participants last post by  Bones 
#1 ·
I've only ever had a cheapy, 10" store brand job.
Was ok for light trimming etc.

Have new house, and 2 big tree's to come down, and a bunch of others that need trimming. So time to step up to a big boy saw.

Recommendations on brands, and bar length greatly appreciated.
 
#34 ·
So If i get just one saw, probably a Stihl 311 (current 310 model) with an 18" Bar To cover me for all around, and call it done.

Will totally buy a few chains and send them out to get sharpened.

the Local small engine shop is a stihl dealer and will order me in whatever I'm after. Figure give the business to him and if/when I need service he'll hopefully rememeber he sold it to me.
 
#42 ·
I do landscapong and use my chainsaw quite a bit. Ocassionally sharpening with a harbor freight round file works just fine. Clamp the bar in a vice and 3-5 passes on each tooth. Less time than pulling the chain... i got a used stihl ms261 (i think) 8 years ago for 175$ and all ive done is the plug and air filter. Dont buy a damn thing from home depot...
 
#44 ·
For those asking about sharpening a chain, very few actually know how to do it because very few actually know how the tooth is made and designed.

Good chains are chromed on the top and the side. The Chrome is extremely hard, you will not file it, this thin chrome is actually the knife edge. When people are filing their chains they are removing the metal under neath the chrome, and typically, remove too much of this metal leaving the thin chrome vulerable. Need to learn about them before putting a file to them.
 
#49 ·
I hand file the cutting tooth every gas tank or 2.
I hand file the guide every 5 tanks or so.
If I get a chain that is consistently cutting on angle, I'll finally take it in for a sharpening and let a pro level it back out

I think the other key take away of this thread is that you don't need to go buy a new saw. My 023 is about 20 years old. My 025 is about 15 years old. My Mac (which I bought on CL used for $50) is about 35 years old
 
#58 ·
I hand file the cutting tooth every gas tank or 2.
I hand file the guide every 5 tanks or so.
If I get a chain that is consistently cutting on angle, I'll finally take it in for a sharpening and let a pro level it back out
Are you sawing through dirt? You really shouldn't need to sharpen nearly that much.

When I was cutting 40-50 FC's a year for my parents I would use the same chain on the MS310 for about 5 hours of straight cutting. I would change out the chain, but not because if was dull, kinda just thought maybe I should :sonicjay:



 
#54 ·
I buy my chains on fleabay when they're the cheapest which seems to be late Fall. 91VXL052G and 22LPX068G. I probably have two dozen of each at any given time. It's been six years since I started heating with wood and this is the first year I dropped a bunch of chains off rotation... probably 10 or 12 of them. They can be sharpened about 10 times before they're junk unless you like to cut rocks like me then that accelerates their demise. I have a free chain sharpener, known as my Dad, who uses a benchtop setup from Harbor Freight. He does a good job.

You really need to handle the saw. Once you get past 10lbs of power head weight the saw gets heavy. After 3 or 4 hours of carrying around 20lbs and 3-5hp with a semi or full chisel chain the opportunity for an accident is much greater. MS250 is 14lbs loaded and 3hp... MS362 is 18lbs loaded and 4hp. Bent over holding 18lbs that wants to cut your arm off is scary. 550XP is 15lbs loaded and almost 4hp. Way more comfortable to use than a MS362 but it's actually just as scary because it lacks the mass the MS362 has.

I have a stack of bars I bought on clearance from somewhere. I have never worn one out before I ruined one (pinched, I'm an idiot) but I have had to file some guide rails down because they got razor sharp. I have never had an oiling problem, I didn't even know that was a thing.

I only cut 16-20 FACE cords per year though. And most of it is already in the dirt.
 
#55 ·
Once you get past 10lbs of power head weight the saw gets heavy. After 3 or 4 hours of carrying around 20lbs and 3-5hp with a semi or full chisel chain the opportunity for an accident is much greater. MS250 is 14lbs loaded and 3hp... MS362 is 18lbs loaded and 4hp. Bent over holding 18lbs that wants to cut your arm off is scary. 550XP is 15lbs loaded and almost 4hp. Way more comfortable to use than a MS362 but it's actually just as scary because it lacks the mass the MS362 has.
There is a lot of truth to that. Not to point out my lack of cardio or workout schedule, but I will generally pick up a saw and not set it down until the tank is empty. Usually an hour or so. The 2-4 minutes it takes to hand file the saw helps me for the next hour of cutting. I have had a couple close calls, things like catching my boots in the brush with the saw in my hand, not reading how a limb is loaded before cutting it off the tree and have it whip my shin, etc. Those happen when I'm tired. hand sharpening forces a little longer break. Its another reason I dont handle my Mac 610 unless the tree is limbed and mostly cleared. Its a heavy saw and accidents happen more often with it.
 
#63 ·
The truly impressive part is that there hasn't been a single argument whether Stihl or Husky is better. That might be a first.
 
#61 ·
are you cutting telephone poles???

I dont need to sharpen every tank, but it literally only takes 2 minutes to run 3 file strokes on the cutting teeth every hour, and the chain never gets dull enough that I have to spend more than 2 minutes on it. I view it more like preventative maintenance I suppose.

And yes, I touch dirt more than I want to. I also cut punky rotted wood on occasion to make trails or access points. I also have a few piles of trees that I had to drag out of the woods, or were dragged from the build site. Dragging wood is like running your saw through the dirt itself.

I dont have the clean wood delivered onto a table like you!!!
 
#62 ·
:sonicjay: It wasn't delivered on a table, it gets dumped all over the yard, then we load it up on the table, we had quite the system going for many years.

The first pic is what they consider "Tops", the garbage left behind after an area is lumbered. Lots of it was plenty big surprising enough. The smooth stuff is actually a secret. :d: It's not phone poles at all, but sounds like bowling pins when stacking it all :sonicjay:
 
#64 ·
I won't get into the brand wars here either, but I will say that the pro grade saws are worth it. Especially if you are willing to buy used.

Find a Stihl 026 or ms260, a 346xp, or 550xp.

Dolmar's are good saws, but IIRC their 026 sized saw wasn't that great. I'd probably skip the Dolmar's unless you want a big saw.

FTR, 026/346xp saws, are not big saws.

029 is the obese underpowered sister to an 026 or 346.
025 is that cousin that always shows up to help, but isn't strong enough to hardly be worth having around, but is reliable enough you keep inviting him.

Get an 018/026/036 trifecta for a great firewood/farm/ranch combo. Swap the 018 for a 192T or 200T if you are a tophandle guy.

Much older, but the 028 and 038 line of saws are excellent saws as well.
 
#68 ·
Worst saw condition ever- The farmer behind my house took out the fence row trees and gave them to me. He pulled the roots and all, dragged them behind my barn, and pushed them into a pile. They had steel fence grown into them, dirt all over, and they were all under tension. The saw would get pinched often and hit steel and dirt. The branches were all intertwined and was a pain in the ass pulling them out even with my 32hp 4wd Kubota.

But it's free wood and close to home.
 
#69 · (Edited)
@GearDrive Sounds like a good time for a bonfire.
@Bones I mean no offense as to what works for you, but I'd pull my hair out felling anything with an 025. Felling sucks with an 029 even. Felling is dangerous and has to be timely. Cutting rounds once a tree is down, is one thing, you can tootle along taking your time wittling away with a small saw and all is good, you just waste time, no biggie. But felling should be quick. Cutting the notch isn't uber critical as long as you are using a normal sized notch, but even so, as soon as you cut into a tree trunk, you are at the mercy of the wind. Especially once you start the back cut. Cut it fast and cut it clean. Once the tree starts falling, you have a couple seconds max to get the cut as deep as possible, shooting for a narrow hinge width. It takes power to make that happen. Be safe, and get as big a falling saw as you can. Older heacier saws are totally fine for falling saws, and chain brakes are not that important on a falling saw. Weight doesnt matter much as you really only need it for a few cuts.

Husky vs Stihl mostly comes down to rpm. Huskys like to rev out and stay higher in the rpm range in the cut, using horsepower. Stihls run at a lower rpm in the cut and work on the torque. Like a diesel vs gas type of deal
They do overlap and each maker has some of each, but as a general blanket statement, that's pretty much the deal.

I'm a Stihl guy as I was brought up running them. Nothing against the huskys, they are great saws, I just have Stihls.

I have amassed quite a collection for a mostly firewood cutter, but I like having the right tool for the job. My collection as of now, I think:

009
012
015
018
026 x2
028 super
038 magnum
041 x2
041av
044 big bored
045

Poulan wild thing
Craftsman 40cc
Homelite 42cc

Also think I'm missing one or two.
Still hoping to aquire an actual felling saw like an 056, 066, or 072. A big husky or Dolmar would be great too.
 
#74 ·
Bones I mean no offense as to what works for you, but I'd pull my hair out felling anything with an 025. Felling sucks with an 029 even. Felling is dangerous and has to be timely. Cutting rounds once a tree is down, is one thing, you can tootle along taking your time wittling away with a small saw and all is good, you just waste time, no biggie. But felling should be quick.
agree. Which is why I always sharpen my chain every tank lol. I also don't take green trees and pick and choose which standing dead trees I take. I've never really had an issue mostly because I've become really used to the tools I have. I used to fell with the mac and I found it was just too awkward and preferred the 025. This is why I almost pulled the trigger on a 310.
 
#71 ·
As for bar size, I run a 16 for most stuff. Smaller saws are great with a 14, and I have a few bigger bars too. One 026 has a 16, one has an 18. One 041 has a 16, one with a 20. 24 and 28" bars for the bigger saw, but usually they have an 18 or 20.

I always prefer the shortest bar that will get the job done. A 20" chain has 20% more rotational mass that a 16" chain. If you don't need it, why waste power turning it for no reason. You wouldn't want to spin heavy stazworks beadlocks on your DD Ford Fiesta, why would you want a 20" chain on a low power cheapie saw? I can feel the difference, even on the 041s which are torque monsters.

Fwiw, my go to to saws gfor cutting firewood are my 041s and 026s. That is a great firewood combo. Our 041s have been cutting firewood to heat my parents house since the early-mid 70's and are still cutting sfrong with great torque and great fuel economy.

The 018/028/038 combo is excellent also. I like trimming with the 018 because it is super light and good on fuel. Then I switch to the 028 for a while, then back the the 038 for the big rounds. Power is similar to the 041, but with antivide and a chainbrake which is a good thing.
 
#72 ·
I file my chains by hand, on the saw, I usually take several saws and run a few tanks through each. I take a file with me Into the woods, but usually I dont sharpen them till I'm back at home, so they are ready for the next day, or afternoon. I cut and haul the majority, if not all my firewood in the woods behind our house and do it almost all in the winter with a Ski-doo Elan and a Ski-doo Carry-Boose behind it, so I can haul the saws into the shop and sharpen them when I take my lunch break.
 
#75 ·
well it turns out GL4x4 still has a bad influence on me. I got the itch for another saw and found one... A stihl 034 Super AV. 62cc, 11.6lb, 4.6hp.

so the 023 is for sale cheap if anyone is interested!
 
#78 ·
Nice, I just ordered a MS311 from the Local Ace store, they had it in stock at another location and i'll have it this evening. They stock it with a 20" bar and are throwing in a 16" bar and chain with it.


All the used saws I was finding were either thrashed or overpriced, and everyone thought their saw was gold and wouldn't budge on price.
 
#79 ·
As with a lot of things, well built tools hold their values.
Although I think I got lucky. Picked up the 034AV for $260 with an 18" bar and new chain. It needed a minor choke adjustment that I'm still tuning, but for the most part, it rips. Put 3 tanks of fuel through it on Saturday.
 
#80 ·
034 Super is a sweet saw. I'd love to add one to my collection. $260 seems like a decent price, IMO. They are at the top of the power to weight list, and handle quite well.

Unfortunately, the newer Stihls have gotten fat. The 362, which is todays entry in the 034S' old position in the lineup, weighs 1.6 pounds more, or just under 14% more, with the same power.

Congrats on the 034 Super!
 
#83 ·
I just picked up a Stihl 028 AV and a 031 AV. Don't really know much about either. Sounds like the 031's were a little troublesome. I'm going to try running them and see what one I like better. Previous owner said he was having problems with either of them running very well.
 
#84 ·
Start them with the back cover off and make sure the choke is closing 100% on start, and then opening 100% with the trigger pull. That seems to be the biggest issue... the rod that opens and closes the choke hangs up on the air filter so either it starts like crap and takes dozens of pulls (choke doesn't actually close) or it runs low on power and smokes (choke doesn't fully open).

I have tried to bent the rod on my 034 about a dozen times to find the sweet spot and I've resulted in just removing the rear cover when I have to start it cold and making sure the choke is 100% closed. It always opens 100% now, but doesn't close when you move the black lever to choke position.
 
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